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Minister appeals to nation to pray for rain for cut in loadshedding

He said there is a shortfall of 7,000 MW of electricity as the demand has increased to 19,000 megawatt which has resulted in massive loadshedding.

Federal Minister for Water and Power Khwaja Mohammed Asif on Monday appealed to the nation to pray for rain so that the power loadshedding could be reduced. He warned of further rise in the blackouts if there is no let up in the ongoing spell of heat.

Addressing a Press conference here along with Minister of State for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali and Secretary Nargis Sethi, Asif apologised to the nation over prolonged loadshedding saying that all-out efforts are being made to improve power generation and supply system to overcome blackouts.

He said there is a shortfall of 7,000 MW of electricity as the demand has increased to 19,000 megawatt which has resulted in massive loadshedding.

He said that the crisis further intensified in the past three days as two grid stations of 1,500 megawatt in Lahore had tripped. One of the grid stations has been restored while the other will be back on line in a couple of days.

The minister, who was so vocal against loadshedding during Pakistan People’s Party government, said, “We apologise to the nation over the massive loadshedding in the past three days.”

Asif said efforts are being made to overcome power theft and reduce line losses besides setting up new power generation houses to improve the situation.

The minister said Sindh government had to pay Rs57 billion under default charges.

He said a court had been approached to contain widespread electricity thefts.

The minister load-shedding of 18 to 20 hours were being conducted for those involved in power thefts.

Despite various difficulties, he said, electricity supply was being ensured to industries across the country. He said, “We cannot give a time frame for ending loadshedding and we do not want to make any false promises which would cause us to be embarrassed in front of the nation.”

He announced that there would be no loadshedding in the three days of Eid holiday.